In the event of severe weather conditions, Head Teachers are guided by the Education Department’s Standard Circular 10b. Following an assessment of the situation, in consultation with relevant staff in the Education Department, a decision will be made on whether or not to close the school. If an emergency closure of the school is to be carried out, the following procedures will take place:
- We will contact the transport providers to ensure that the school buses and taxis will be available. If they are not, then pupils will require to wait in school to be collected by parents.
- We will put information on the school’s website and Twitter account (@Mearns_Primary) about the arrangements for the closure. There will also be up to date information on ERC’s Twitter page ( @EastRenCouncil). It is really important that in the event of any severe weather parents and carers make every effort to regularly monitor ERC’s and the school’s websites. The website will be regularly updated with any important information.
- We will also text parents and carers with information on the school closure and refer you to the school and council’s websites.
- At this point we will start to evacuate the school.
- Parents who arrive at school will be greeted at the main entrance by a member of staff who will then arrange for their child/children to join them to be taken home.
- Children will remain in classes until a large number have been collected by parents. Once the numbers have reduced sufficiently, remaining children will be brought down to the Street and supervised there. At this point, if we have not heard from parents or carers of remaining children, we will attempt to contact them or their emergency contacts.
- In very extreme circumstances, some pupils may not be able to get home and may have to remain in school beyond the school day. This situation will be discussed with parents and, with support of senior school staff and the Education Department, pupils will be accommodated in school until arrangements are put in place for their safe transport home.
When the school has been safely closed, I will liaise with the Education Department on subsequent arrangements. At the earliest appropriate opportunity, I will then carry out an assessment of the conditions for re-opening the school. Arrangements for re-opening the school will be communicated to parents via the school’s website and other local media.
Should the school require to be closed for more than one day, information will be posted on the school’s website/ Twitter account (@Mearns_Primary) to allow pupils to continue their learning.
Hopefully we will not require to put these arrangements in place. However, I trust you will find the information helpful in discussing the issue with your child/children and putting any necessary arrangements in place in the event of an emergency closure.
If you don’t have a local emergency contact we would appreciate it if you can arrange with a neighbour or friend who could collect or look after your child/children in these extreme circumstances. Please email this information to schoolmail@mearns.e-renfrew.sch.uk or phone the school office. If you would prefer, you can send a letter or put a note in your child’s homework diary. We would appreciate being given this information as quickly as possible. We thank you for your cooperation.
Yours sincerely
Sharon E Hunter
Head Teacher
